What's next?
by sues2002
Summary: J/H sort of work on figuring out what their relationship really is. The other characters also appear. Follows Ramble on. Ch. 2 picks up after Hot dog. Ch. 3 happens between Thank you and Black dog
1. Default Chapter

"55, 56, 57.." Jackie walked into the basement to find Fez counting out change on the table.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked, as she threw her coat and purse on the chair.  
  
"Sonofabitch! I lost count. Jackie, I am in a crisis. I do not have time for your silly questions. Good day!" Fez gathered up all the coins on the table and started his count again.  
  
"Why are you counting out change? What crisis?" Jackie asked, staring at her foreign friend.  
  
"I said good day!" Fez shouted, as Jackie rolled her eyes and walked back to Hyde's room.  
  
"Steven, what is wrong with Fez?" she asked as she plopped down on the chair in Hyde's room.  
  
"Running low on candy." Hyde answered without even opening his eyes, as he lay on the bed.  
  
"Oh." Jackie stared at him. "Where is everyone? Donna, Eric, and Michael have no social life. Well, Michael did when he was with me, but now he doesn't. They should be hanging out in the basement, as usual."  
  
"Donna: stayed after school. Eric: went to get her. Kelso: probably somewhere stupid." Hyde's eyes remained closed.  
  
"Steven," Jackie wailed. "Look at me! I look very pretty today. Of course, I look pretty everyday." Jackie stopped short, remembering Donna's advice. "Be cool," she thought to herself. "Well, I'm bored. I'm gonna go." Jackie said as she stood up to leave.  
  
"Jackie, wait." Steven said, sitting up and grabbing her hand.  
  
"Wow," Jackie smiled to herself, "Donna actually may be on to something." However, almost as soon as Hyde grabbed her hand, be dropped it.  
  
"Could you bring me a soda before you go?" Hyde asked, smirking.  
  
"Only if you want to wear it, not drink it!" Jackie yelled, storming out.  
  
"What'd I say?" he called after her. The response was the slam of the basement door as Jackie left.  
  
"Sonofabitch!" Fez yelled from the couch. "1, 2, 3, 4..." Fez's counting was drowned out as Hyde closed his bedroom door.  
  
Hyde laid back down on the bed and thought about Jackie. Since the college trip, when he turned down that college girl, he had given serious thought to what Jackie really meant to him. Unfortunately, before he could come to a conclusion, he was always being interrupted. Today was no different, as Kelso barged in and sat on the chair.  
  
"Guess where I was, man?" Kelso asked, smiling.  
  
"Probably somewhere stupid." Hyde responded, shutting his eyes.  
  
"No, I was at the bus stop." Kelso said excitedly.  
  
"Yup, just what I thought, stupid." Hyde mumbled to himself. He looked at Kelso. "Kelso, you have a van. Why would you need to take the bus?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know...maybe just a little thing I like to call chicks on the go."  
  
Hyde stared at him blankly.  
  
It's like my greatest idea ever." Kelso said, still smiling.  
  
"Sad, but true." Hyde agreed. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"See, lots of girls take the bus, so you're bound to have a selection, right? Once you decide, and you go talk to them, they have no choice but to talk to you....cause they're trapped..on a bus!" Kelso almost shook with excitement.  
  
"How long'd it take you to come up with that?" Hyde asked, amused.  
  
"A loooooooong time." Kelso laughed. "Thinking's hard!" Kelso sat looking deep in thought. "See!" he laughed and changed the subject. "So, Jackie's mad at you, huh?"  
  
"No. What? No. Why do you say that?" Hyde asked confused.  
  
Well, she stormed down the driveway when I was coming in. I don't think Fez counting money would make her mad, cause she likes money, and Donna and Eric aren't here." Kelso stated matter-of-factly.  
  
Hyde looked at him in disbelief. "You put that all together yourself? Man, do you, like, just pretend to be dumb?"  
  
"Actually, no to both of those. Jackie told me on her way past. She said, Michael, I am so mad at Steven." Kelso started laughing, until Hyde threw his pillow at him. "Hey, maybe I can help. I did date the girl for a long time."  
  
"Um, no offense, Kelso, but when you did date her, wasn't she mad at you all the time? Plus, why would you want to help me with Jackie? I stole her from you, remember?" Hyde said sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot." Kelso replied, pretending to be mad. That lasted for a few seconds. "Listen, when Jackie was mad at me, I handled it in a masculine, mature fashion."  
  
"You mean apologizing constantly and begging her forgiveness, man?" Hyde looked at him skeptically.  
  
"Well, yeah." Kelso said, annoyed. "I did try to write her that song once. That would have worked too, if Forman didn't break my guitar. Damn him! I could have been a rock star by now, if I had my guitar." Suddenly, Kelso jumped up. "Oh, my god. I just had a brainstorm."  
  
"You should have warned me, man." Hyde closed his eyes again.  
  
"What's better than standing at the bus stop waiting for chicks to get on the bus?" Kelso asked.  
  
"Are you still here?" Hyde responded, tired.  
  
"Fine, I'll tell you. Standing at the bus stop waiting for chicks to get on the bus...while playing the guitar." Kelso said, his excitement increasing with each word. "Chicks dig guitars."  
  
"Not to burst your bubble, but you can't afford a guitar." Hyde responded half-heartedly.  
  
"Fez has tons of money. He's been counting since I got here!" Kelso answered and ran out to get Fez.  
  
Realizing that he wasn't going to get any sleep now, Hyde headed up to the kitchen to get something to eat...and think about the Jackie situation. Sitting at the table when he entered the room was Donna and Eric.  
  
"Hey, buddy." Eric greeted him. "I hear the little woman is mad at you." He shut up when Donna hit him.  
  
"Shut up, Forman." Hyde sat down at the table. "Not that I'm asking for advice, but what the hell is wrong with her? Actually, I knew there was a lot wrong with her before we started messing around, but I didn't consider the fact that I would have to deal with it." Hyde said, resting his head in his hands.  
  
"Well, I think..." Eric was cut off, as Hyde continued to rant.  
  
"I think she's crazy..but I thought that before we were together. Seriously, though, she may actually be crazy. I mean, first she's all nice to me and constantly wanting to hang around me and do stuff with me. Then she acts like she doesn't care. She's acting.." Hyde didn't get a chance to finish.  
  
"She's acting like you." Donna finished for him. "Hyde, I may have tried to help Jackie out a little. I told her that she should stop trying to control everything and act more distant and aloof, like you."  
  
"What the hell kind of advice is that?" Eric asked her bewildered. "You should have told her to dump him...and move...far, far away."  
  
"Great. Now I have to go find her and..talk to her." Hyde said disgustedly, as he got up and left, shaking his head.  
  
"Dump him and move far away. You know Eric, if Dear Abby ever retires..." Donna laughed.  
  
"What, I can't hear you, silly girl. I'm distant and aloof." Eric laughed as Donna tried to hit him again.  
  
It didn't take long for Hyde to find Jackie, since she was at home in her room. On the way, he passed Kelso and Fez at the bus stop on the corner. Each was holding a sign and had an empty hat sitting in front of them. Fez's sign said "Will dance for candy". Kelso's originally said "Will date for money", but date was crossed off and replaced with kiss and money was crossed off and replaced with guitar. Of course, Hyde had to roll down the window on the way past and yell "Losers!" while laughing at the two of them.  
  
"Steven, just leave me alone." Jackie said when Hyde entered her room.  
  
"Ok." Hyde said and turned to go.  
  
"Wait!" cried Jackie. "Ok, Donna was so wrong. I am never asking her advice again."  
  
"Jackie, listen. I talked to Donna," Hyde said sitting down on the edge of her bed. "and I just want to you to know, I think your plan is good. Good, and hysterically funny." Hyde said laughing.  
  
"Steven, stop laughing at me." Jackie started to pout.  
  
"I can't help it. It's funny." Hyde grabbed Jackie's hand as she reached out to hit him. This time, he didn't drop it. "Look, I'm not gonna get all mushy, but you don't have to pretend to be...to do...to...you don't have to pretend anything. Things have been good the way they are. You're annoying, I accept it."  
  
"But, Steven," Jackie said, ignoring his last comment, and still holding his hand as she moved closer to him. "are we together?"  
  
"We're together right now, are you blind?" Hyde smiled at her.  
  
"You know what I mean." Jackie stared at him.  
  
"Ok, if I tell you something that happened at college, will you promise not to make a big deal about it."  
  
"Yes, I promise." Jackie replied eagerly.  
  
"Well, some girl wanted to make out with me, but I said no..because of you." Hyde looked slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Oh, Steven," Jackie cooed. "I knew that already. Fez told me. But it sounds so much better when you say it!" She climbed onto his lap and pushed him back on the bed.  
  
"Wait a minute." Hyde said, holding her at arm's length. "You knew? And you were able to keep your mouth shut and not tell me. I'm impressed!" Hyde pulled her down on top of him and kissed her.  
  
"I know, I know," she gushed. "I'm coming along nicely." She continued kissing him.  
  
"Just how my girlfriend should act." Hyde said rolling on top of her.  
  
Jackie stopped and stared at him. Smiling, she said, "I'm keeping my mouth shut."  
  
"You're just saying that now, so we won't fight, aren't you?" Hyde said cautiously.  
  
"Yup." Jackie shook her head and smiled.  
  
"Ok, works for me." Hyde said, and with that they resumed their make- out session, saving the fight for another day.  
  
This story sort of popped into my head one night. Please let me know what you think! 


	2. Snowed in

***This is just a light, fun story, but I'd like to add more dramatic chapters at some point. As always, I really want to know what you think, so please review!  
  
  
  
Red was sitting on his chair in the living room when Kitty walked in from the kitchen.  
  
"Where is Shotzie, Red? I can't find him anywhere." Kitty said worriedly.  
  
"Eric and Donna took the little bastard, I mean the little..oh hell, they took it for a walk." Red replied, looking up from his paper.  
  
Kitty frowned. "Oh, I hope he doesn't get too cold. It just started to snow. It's freezing out!"  
  
"Kitty, the boy is 18 years old. Don't worry. He may be a dumbass, but he was wearing a jacket" Red said, looking back at his paper.  
  
"Eric? Who the hell cares about him? I was talking about Shotzie." Kitty laughed nervously. "Poor, little, baby puppy!" she said in a cutesy voice and walked back into the kitchen.  
  
"Little, baby puppy, my ass." Red mumbled under his breath.  
  
"I heard that!" Kitty screamed from the kitchen as Red rolled his eyes and continued reading the paper.  
  
"I'm glad menopause hasn't affected your hearing." Red yelled back, just as Donna and Eric walked in the front door.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?" Red asked angrily. "That dog is the only thing keeping your mother from teetering over the edge." Red grabbed the dog and headed to the kitchen. "Kitty", he called, "look who's home."  
  
"So," Eric said, turning to Donna, "who's excited to be marrying into this family?" Donna laughed. Eric continued, "This is going to be the looooongest engagement ever, isn't it?" He sighed and plopped down on the couch.  
  
"Eric, I really want to tell everybody!" Donna replied as she sat next to him, and he put his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Well, Donna," Eric paused, "I really want to live. If you tell everybody, Bob will kill me..and I'm pretty sure Red will too. And the more I think about it, my mom is probably a safe bet as well."  
  
"I know. I'm just so happy!" Donna snuggled closer to Eric.  
  
"Yeah. Being Mr. Donna Pinciotti has always been a dream of mine." Eric responded as he leaned over and kissed her.  
  
Down in the basement, things were not quite so full of love. Hyde and Jackie were fighting, as usual, back in Hyde's room. On the couch, Fez was holding Kelso in a headlock as he scrambled to get free.  
  
"Let me go, Fez!" Kelso yelled.  
  
"No." Fez quickly answered.  
  
"Fez, let me go!" Kelso yelled again  
  
"No." Fez laughed.  
  
"Fez!" screamed Kelso.  
  
"No." Fez continued to laugh. He then added, "I will let you go if you promise two things. One, don't hit me.."  
  
Kelso remained silent as Fez continued to hold on. "Fine," he agreed reluctantly.  
  
Fez smiled. "Two, you give me back my change."  
  
"It's not my fault that chicks on the go was a dumb idea. You should have known that from the beginning." Kelso said indignantly.  
  
"This is true." Fez agreed. "But, you said you were going to use the money to buy a guitar to get more chicks. I do not see a guitar..so I want to see my money, fool."  
  
"Fez, we used your money to buy the stuff to make the signs to get more money. Again, it's not my fault we didn't get more money." Kelso pleaded.  
  
"Ay!" Fez said letting go of Kelso. "All I wanted was some sweet, sweet candy. But I let the thought of getting some sweet, sweet loving from chicks on the go get in the way. Now I have no candy..and no loving."  
  
"It's ok, Fez." Kelso said patting him on the back. "You know, I might have a lifesaver in the van." Kelso hardly had the words out of his mouth before Fez was out the door.  
  
"Kelso," Fez called from outside, "it is locked..and it is snowing."  
  
"The keys are in the van." Kelso shouted. Suddenly, the problem dawned on him. "Damn!" he cried as he ran out the door.  
  
Meanwhile, Hyde and Jackie were having troubles of their own.  
  
"Jackie, I do not understand your problem." Hyde said. "And, I really don't care what it is, as long as you stop making my life miserable." Hyde stared at the angry little brunette sitting on his bed.  
  
"Steven, I don't make your life miserable, I make it wonderful! All I want is for you to admit that I make your life wonderful..and that you can't live without me..because you love me."  
  
"Okay, Jackie. How about this - why don't you stop making me mad, and we start making out." Hyde smiled at her.  
  
"Sure, Steven. Just as soon as you admit it." Jackie demanded.  
  
"Jackie," Hyde said, agitated. "First I accidentally call you my girlfriend. Then I turn down a hot girl because of you, even though I wouldn't promise to be faithful. Then, you told me I had to buy you something, and I bought you a cheeseburger...wrapped in tin foil. What more can I do?"  
  
"Hello, I just told you." Jackie answered, annoyed. "That's another thing..you never listen to me. Steven, you should listen to me all the time, not just when you have nothing better to do."  
  
"What did you say?" Hyde asked, ducking out of the way as Jackie tried to hit him. "I'm kidding. I heard you. I just think you're crazy."  
  
"Maybe I am crazy for wanting to put up with you as a boyfriend," she paused, "but I do, which means that you had better start talking."  
  
"About?" Hyde looked at her, faking confusion.  
  
"about how much I mean to you. Steven, we are just going around is circles here. I'm going to go home. Maybe you should use this time to think." Jackie grabbed her coat and purse.  
  
"About?" Hyde laughed as Jackie walked off in a huff.  
  
Donna and Eric were walking down the basement steps as Jackie was leaving. "Hey, Jackie." Donna called as Jackie opened the door to go outside. "It's snowing pretty badly. You should probably wait until things clear up before you go."  
  
"I can't, Donna. Steven needs to think about us....and since they say absence makes the heart grow fonder....I need to be absent!" That said, Jackie turned and left, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Don't they also say out of sight, out of mind?" Eric asked smugly, just as the door blew open.  
  
"You know what?" Donna said, "I better go stop Jackie. With wind like that, it's definitely a bad idea to drive."  
  
"Donna, I'll go out into that harsh, bitter wind, so the future Mrs. Forman doesn't have to." Eric said smiling as Hyde walked in.  
  
"No, Forman," Hyde chimed in, "if the wind is that strong, better let someone else go. You'll blow away, man." Hyde started to laugh.  
  
"Yeah, well, maybe you should go. She is your, and I use this term with disgust, girlfriend."  
  
"What are you talking about, man?" Hyde stopped laughing and stared at Eric and Donna.  
  
"Well, jerk," Donna responded, "Jackie left during this snowstorm so that you could be alone to think."  
  
"I keep saying she's crazy," Hyde said as he headed for the door, "but now I'm starting to believe it." Hyde struggled to pull the door closed behind him.  
  
"Those crazy kids!" Eric said shaking his head. "Get it, crazy?" he laughed.  
  
"Eric, it was nice of you to offer to go out there for me." Donna said, putting her arms around him.  
  
"Oh, Donna," Eric said, hugging her, "I wasn't serious." Donna stepped out of his embrace. "Hyde's right. I'd blow away like a twig in a hurricane." Eric said, as Donna smiled and stepped back into his arms.  
  
Outside, Hyde walked past Kelso and Fez, who were totally covered in snow. Fez stood at the back of the van trying to pull the doors open. Kelso was at the passenger side, trying to pry the window down.  
  
"Um, idiots, it's snowing out." Hyde said, stopping briefly.  
  
"Stupid over there locked his keys in the van." Fez said, letting go of the doors and brushing the snow off himself. "I would laugh at how dumb he is if candy wasn't at stake." Fez said frowning.  
  
"You think I'm stupid?" Kelso said turning to Hyde. "He's out here helping me so he can have a lifesaver that I spit out of my mouth earlier."  
  
"You didn't tell me you already sucked on it, stupid." Fez cried, marching back into the house.  
  
"Oh well, gotta go, man." Hyde said turning and moving quickly down the driveway, leaving Kelso alone, banging on the van's windows.  
  
Jackie's car was still parked in front of Eric's house when Hyde arrived at the end of the driveway. He heard the motor running, so he quickly opened the passenger side door and got in.  
  
"Steven, what are you doing here?" Jackie asked, surprised to see him.  
  
"Listen, you shouldn't drive home now." Hyde said looking over at her.  
  
"I wasn't going to." Jackie answered. "I'm not crazy. I just couldn't go back in the house after my grand exit, so I figured I'd sit out here until it stopped snowing." Jackie thought for a minute and then started to smile. "Were you worried about me?"  
  
Hyde stared at her. "Actually, Donna was. She was going to come out here and get you, but Eric said I had to do it." Hyde watched as Jackie's smile started to fade. "I needed to talk to you anyway. I had to admit something."  
  
"Oh really?" Jackie's face brightened. "And what might that be?" she asked eagerly.  
  
"I wanted to admit that I.." Hyde had to stop and think. "You..." He stopped again to figure out what to say. "Jackie, you're ok." He finally got the words out.  
  
"I'm ok?" Jackie questioned. "That's what you're going to admit?" she asked skeptically. "I'm ok?"  
  
"Take it or leave it." Hyde said, then added, "we'll work our way up from there." He looked hopefully at Jackie.  
  
"I'll take it!" she said sliding across the seat and climbing onto his lap. "Now we can make out." She kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
"See, Jackie, like I said. You are ok." Hyde kissed her again, reaching one arm down to pull the lever that makes the seat recline.  
  
"Steven, what if we get snowed in?" Jackie asked between kisses.  
  
"In a car? Jackie, you can't.." Hyde started to correct her, but decided to drop it. "Fine by me," he said instead, sliding his hands around her waist and kissing her neck.  
  
"You know," Jackie said as she placed her hands on his belt, "I could think of a few things we could do while we wait for the snow to stop." Jackie gently tugged at Hyde's shirt as she began nibbling his ear. "I think we'll have to move to the backseat though," she whispered breathily in his ear.  
  
"Ok, Jackie," Hyde said swallowing hard, "you win. You are wonderful." And with that, Hyde quickly maneuvered Jackie, then himself into the backseat, as the snow continued to fall in the Wisconsin sky. 


	3. Let it snow

"I better go before the gang comes looking for us." Hyde mumbled into Jackie's hair as her head rested on his chest. He started to lift her off of him so that he could get up, but she pushed him back down.  
  
"Steven, they won't. They're very self-centered, unlike me who always takes time out for others." She ignored Hyde's you've-got-to-be- kidding-me look. "What's the rush? It's not like you have anywhere better to be." Jackie lightly kissed his lips and rested her head back down on his chest.  
  
"You think I don't have better places to be? Jackie, I could be......you're right, I'll stay for awhile." Hyde said wrapping his arms around her.  
  
Jackie smiled. "Good. Um, Steven, you know how we've been together for awhile now, but you haven't mentioned that you love me, or even like me, now that I think about it?"  
  
"Jackie, are you gonna want to talk? 'Cause if you are, I can definitely think of some better places to be. Like anywhere that you aren't trying to talking to me." Hyde looked at her seriously.  
  
"Steven, there are certain things a girl needs to hear. You can go on and on about the government trying to keep good men down, but when it comes to having a girlfriend, you really don't know that much. Which is why, you need me to be your guide in how to handle certain issues." Jackie pushed herself into a sitting position with one hand, using the other hand to hold the blanket from the backseat around her body. She sat staring at Hyde, their legs overlapping.  
  
"Ok, Jackie, first of all, did I even say you were my girlfriend......I mean really, not just an accidental slip of the tongue? 'Cause if I did, I must have been hopped up. Secondly, I don't need a guide for anything. Things just come to me; it's a gift, man." Now Hyde sat up, leaning his back against the side door of the car.  
  
"There is nothing wrong with having me as your girlfriend. Admitting that we are together can only help your reputation, Steven. I'm pretty, popular, and rich. You're better off just by association." Jackie said knowingly, as she pulled on her shirt and shifted her legs off of Hyde.  
  
"Uh, Jackie, I know you've only known me for, like, ever now, but maybe you haven't caught on to my rep. I'm a rebel..it's my job to destroy the pretty, popular, and rich. Being with you can only hurt my rep, not that I care about that kind of thing. You're sort of everything I hate." Hyde explained, regretting the last part.  
  
"Well," she said, slipping on her skirt and sliding into her shoes, "I guess we really aren't together, then, you know, since I'm everything you rebel against." Jackie quickly left the car, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. Hyde watched her walk across the snow covered driveway into the house.  
  
Jackie walked into the kitchen to find Kitty baking cookies. She sat down at the table and sighed loudly to get attention.  
  
"Jackie, honey, is there something I can do for you?" Kitty asked, wiping her hands on her apron.  
  
"Oh, Mrs. Forman," Jackie wailed. "Everything is horrible. Steven doesn't want to be with me. He's a rebel, and I'm the injustice he rebels against." Jackie buried her head down in her arms and began sobbing.  
  
Kitty walked over and patted her on the back. "Jackie, don't be silly. Steven rebels against the government. You probably don't know much about that." Jackie looked up, then dropped her head again and began sobbing louder. "Well, this is...this is just not good." Kitty laughed nervously. "You know what we need?" she asked, brushing the tears from Jackie's face. "We need some good old-fashioned girl-talk. Let me just go get Donna, then we'll figure this out." Kitty handed Jackie a cookie and then yelled for Donna from the top of the basement steps.  
  
Hyde walked into the basement just as Donna headed upstairs. As soon as Donna closed the door, the guys formed their circle and Hyde spilled his problem. Kelso was the first to comment, surprisingly.  
  
"Here's how you deal with Jackie," he began. "Now, I probably shouldn't be telling you, since I don't really like you two together, but I will anyway. Whatever Jackie says, you say 'okay, Jackie, I respect your judgment,' or 'ok, Jackie, whatever you think is best.' Then you can blow off whatever it is she wanted. It's the only way." Kelso said gravely.  
  
"Don't listen to him. He is stupid." Fez commanded. "He tried to give me used candy. In my country, that is a crime punishable by death." Fez scowled. "You do not mess with candy."  
  
"Welcome to America, buddy." Kelso laughed. "In our country, that's just funny." He smiled, then turned to Hyde and got serious. "You should really practice those things, man. It's hard to say them with a straight face." Kelso tried to say one, but started cracking up after "okay, Jackie".  
  
"Fez is right, man. You are stupid." Hyde shook his head. "Plus, like I said before, you and Jackie didn't work out, so why would I listen to your advice?"  
  
Kelso let out his girlish "oh" and said, "Well, me and Jackie lasted longer than you and Jackie, didn't we?" He smirked until Hyde punched him in the arm.  
  
Hyde turned to Eric. "Well, man, it pains me to say this, but since you and Donna are doing alright, maybe you can help me out."  
  
Eric gave him a cocky grin and said, "Hyde, Hyde, Hyde. I knew this day would come. However, when it did, I didn't know it would be this funny." Eric started laughing, but stopped when Hyde gave him and I'm- going-to-kill-you look. "Ok, man, I'm here for you." He pause and thought for a moment. "And I don't just mean here as in, here in the basement. I mean here as in..actually, I don't know what here means in that sense, but I'll help you out."  
  
"Uh, thanks, man." Hyde looked at him skeptically.  
  
"The way I see it, you have 3 options." Eric continued. "First, and might I add, my personal favorite, dump the dead weight and live free."  
  
"Freedom rocks!" Kelso cut in. "If we weren't free, we'd all be drinking tea in the harbor right now."  
  
Fez shook his head in disgust. "What do you know about freedom? Not having freedom is like not having candy." Fez frowned. "I am not free."  
  
"Two," Eric said, ignoring them, "Beg for forgiveness and gravel at her feet." He smiled. "I don't really recommend this, but I'd love to see you do it."  
  
"Not a chance in hell, man. What's number 3?" Hyde asked.  
  
Eric gulped. "I didn't think that far ahead." He shook his head in embarrassment, then said, "Wait, I got it..no...wait, yeah I do..no..wait.."  
  
"Forman!" Hyde yelled, aggravated. "Maybe Kelso really isn't the dumb one."  
  
"Ok, no, here it is." Eric looked proud. "Pretend this is my problem, and give me advice. Then take that advice, and use it on you."  
  
"WHAT?!" Hyde, Kelso, and Fez shouted in unison.  
  
"Think about it, man. Hyde always has advice for our problems, so if this was our problem, he would be giving us advice." Eric explained.  
  
"Man, I always give you bad advice. It's funnier that way." Hyde sighed. "I guess I'm on my own for this one." Hyde walked back to his room to think.  
  
"So, Fez," Eric turned to the foreigner, "tell us more about this freedom thing."  
  
Upstairs, Jackie listened to the life and love lessons of Donna and Kitty, in their own little circle.  
  
"Jackie, what did I tell you?" Donna asked the now silent girl.  
  
"Oh, Donna. I can't possible listen to everything you say. There are so many more important things to think about." Jackie dabbed at her eyes with a tissue to make sure no make-up was out of place.  
  
Donna threw her hands up in frustration, but continued. "I told you to play it cool. Badgering Hyde to admit his undying love for you..not playing it cool."  
  
"Donna, Donna." Kitty shook her head in dismay. "Love shouldn't be hidden. It should be shared so all can enjoy." Kitty laughed.  
  
"See, Donna!" Jackie agreed.  
  
"Wait a minute." Kitty looked deep in thought. "I don't know if that came out quite right. By sharing your love..that's not supposed to be dirty."  
  
"No, I understand, Mrs. Forman, and I agree. Unfortunately, Steven does not. I have tried everything to get him to tell me how he feels, but he won't..or, maybe he can't. I don't know." Jackie stood up to go find Steven and talk, but sat back down. "I am not going to run to him this time. He'll have to come to me."  
  
"That's right Jackie, stay strong." Donna encouraged.  
  
"Well, that's one way to go." Kitty looked at the girls and tried to be reassuring. "With all this snow, he'll have to come to you. He can't really go anywhere else."  
  
Jackie took her coat and walked out onto the porch. She stared at the snow and thought about Hyde.  
  
Donna joined the guys in the basement. "Where's Hyde?" she asked, sitting down on the couch next to Eric.  
  
Eric pointed back at Hyde's room. "He's thinking. I don't know about you, but that scares me...Hyde's dangerous." Eric stared wide-eyed at Donna.  
  
"Eric, this whole Jackie and Hyde having problems thing has kind of annoyed me. I mean, just shut up already and make-up." She sighed. "You don't think we annoy everyone else this much with our problems, do you?"  
  
"No, Donna." Eric said earnestly. "It's just not possible. Besides we don't fight, we just share our differing opinions in a highly audible manner." He smiled as Donna rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Do you two ever shut up?" Fez stared at them. "Me and Kelso are trying to watch tv, here..that's a commercial for candy, thank you very much."  
  
"God, they really annoy me sometimes!" Kelso said to Fez before turning back to the tv.  
  
Hyde finally left his room, still having no idea what to do about Jackie. Feeling a little crowded in the basement, be decided to go outside for some air. After spotting Jackie, Hyde walked out to join her on the porch. "Hey." He greeted her.  
  
"Oh, Steven!" she said excitedly. "I knew you'd come to me." She was about to throw her arms around him, but remembered her earlier conversation with Donna and Kitty. "I mean, hey, how's it going?" She tried to be cool.  
  
"Jackie, listen." Steven looked at her seriously. "I've been thinking about it, and I know what you want from me, but that's just not who I am. You should know that by now. I want to be with you, but I'm not going to change easily...or at all. I'm not saying I won't possibly try, you know, if I feel like it, but it's not going to happen right away. As my girlfriend, you need to accept that."  
  
"Oh, Steven!" Jackie cooed, throwing her arms around him and kissing him. "That is just what I wanted to hear! You want to be with me, and I'm your girlfriend."  
  
"Um, Jackie," Hyde asked cautiously, "what about all the other stuff I just said?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, that's fine, whatever." Jackie kissed him again. "I'm your girlfriend, right?"  
  
"Yup, you're my girlfriend." Hyde said, humoring her.  
  
"Ok, let's go tell that to everyone!" Jackie said, smiling.  
  
Hyde thought about this, and instead of refusing he agreed. "Well, Jackie, we can do that, but I think we should celebrate it first."  
  
"How do you want to do that?" Jackie asked eagerly.  
  
"Let's go back to your car." Hyde said taking her hand.  
  
"But we can't drive anywhere now." Jackie said confused.  
  
"I know," Hyde smiled leading her down the driveway.  
  
Jackie thought about it, smiled too, and happily followed.  
  
I hope you enjoyed the end of "snowed in". Review please, I love hearing what you think. 


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